Homeschooling

Have you ever considered homeschooling but have a million questions about it?  I hope in the next couple of weeks to tackle some common questions about homeschooling to help you in this monumental decision.

Let me tell you how it started for me.  The area we live in is zoned for a school that we would not send our children to.  So I had always said that if we couldn't get into one of the charter schools near us, I would homeschool. It was a last resort, to be sure.

When Emma was four years old we took a parenting course at church.  At the final class, the teacher brought in her four children for a question and answer time.  We could ask anything we wanted about how they felt about how they were parented.

Up to this point in the course, not a word had been said about homeschooling.  But during the question/answer time, the son made a comment about being homeschooled.  Well that just opened a large can of worms.  The remaining time was filled with mostly questions about that.

I listened.  I also observed.

These were great kids.  They ranged in age from 9 to 21 years.  They were fun, kind, respectful. Modest without being frumpy. And they got it!  They got what the Christian life is about. They got what it means to love God and honor their parents. They also said they loved being homeschooled and would do the same for their kids.

After class I said to Roddy, "Maybe we should homeschool."  My easy-going husband said, "Okay."

So we did.  We just finished our 6th year.

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I have often heard people talk about being "called" to homeschool. I'll be honest, I don't think you have to have some Divine calling to homeschool your kids.  I think homeschooling is the right thing to do.  That's why I do it.

My friend asked me just yesterday if I ever think I shouldn't be homeschooling.  No.  There is no doubt for me.

I always see myself homeschooling.  However, I also have learned enough in my short life to know that God can lead us anywhere and to do anything.  So ultimately, I will do what He wants us to do.  But my belief is that if you can, you should.

As for parents who say, "Oh, I could never homeschool my kids," this is what they are really saying...

"I'm too selfish to give up my time and energy when it's much easier to send them off to someone else."

or

"I don't have enough self-discipline, patience, etc. to homeschool."

or

"I haven't trained my children to respect and honor and obey my authority, so they won't listen to me."

Those are not legitimate reasons.  To me, those should be wake-up calls for a mother to get herself on a path of self-discipline, self-sacrifice and to figure out what needs to change in her home and then get serious about making those changes.

Sorry if that sounds a little like a soap box.  You'd be hard pressed to convince me that those beliefs are wrong.

My whole point is this, if you are a mom, you are called to homeschool.  There doesn't need to be some supernatural revelation. 

Do I understand that it is extremely daunting and overwhelming to even consider taking it on?  YES.  I've been there and done that.  That's why I'm going to devote the next couple weeks to answering questions that I hope will help calm some of those fears and relax even the most uptight of mothers ~because I used to be one (okay, sometimes I still am, but I'm getting better!)

So please come back and read more...

And, just so you know...the four kids that we interviewed at the end of the parenting class 6 years ago are still great kids/adults.  Two have graduated from college - The oldest, a girl, is an emergency room nurse, dating a great guy.  The son graduated from the Citidel and is now recently married working at his dad's company. The third, a girl, is in college taking stands all over the place for Jesus.  And the fourth just turned 15 and is still homeschooling. 

Their mom recently shared with me that she wrote each of them letters regarding their God-honoring lives.

And they rise up and call her blessed as well! In fact, so do I and many others as well!